Method of treating cotton fabric



March 10. 1925.

1,529,108 W. J. BAXTER METHOD- OF TREATING COTTON FABRIC Filed Oct. 15, 1924 gwue'ntoi Patented Mar. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES,

WILLIAM J. BAXTER, OF NEW YORK, Y.

METHOD OF TREATING COTTON FABRIC.

Application filed October 15, 1924. Serial No. 743,740.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM J. BAXTER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Treating Cotton Fabric, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to method of treating cotton fabric, and more particularly to fhe method of printing and finishing cotton fabric to simulate or resemble in appearance French flannel of the character used for shirtings having threads of contrasting color woven therein.

In my copending application Serial No. 703,711, filed April 2, .1924, for printed cotton fabrics, I have described a cotton fabric printed so as to resemble French flannel of the type or pattern which has threads of contrasting color appearing at somewhat irregular intervals over the surface of the fabric to give the appearance of rather indeterminate fine spots and streaks or streaky zones. As pointed out in said application, this was accomplished, briefly stated, by printing over the surface of the cotton fabric fine dots, preferably irregularly grouped and of somewhat irregular character, to

produce a soft toned stippled effect or ground tone with streaks or streaky zones of a somewhat darker shade extending irregularly over the ground tone, the streaks ex tending irregularly over the ground inthe same general direction and of varying widths and soft and somewhat blurred in appearance.

In my copending application Serial No. 743,741 filed on even date herewith, for

printed cotton fabrics, I have described av cotton fabric printed to simulate or resemble French flannel 0f the character in which the colored threads extend in rather fine closely spaced diagonal lines across the length of the fabric. For example, fine blue diagonal lines alternating with fine uncolored diagonal lines. As pointed out in said specification, due to difference in texture be tween cotton and flannel, it is impossible to simulate this appearance by simply printing the fine solid or substantially solid colored lines diagonally across the fabric; and briefly stated, this character of French flannel was simulated in cotton fabric as described in said last specification, by printing on the fabric. the above' mentioned stippled ground tone, except for fine closely spaced parallel lines of the surface running. diagonally over the fabric, which lines are substantially free or sufficiently free ofsaid color to produce a contrast between the stippled ground andthe said lines to give a serge-like effect." It was also pointed out in said specifications that to further simulate the flannel-like effect the printing was done on grey cotton fabric i. e., unbleached or only partly bleachedfabric, andin addition thereto the fabric was given a soft finish preferably produced by roughening ing. 7

The object of the present inventionis the production of cotton fabrics to simulate colored French flannel, such-for example as the types above described. f The invention consists in the novel method of printing and treating cotton fabric to produce cotton fabric simulating colored French flannel of the character used for shirtings'. The method will be described according to the preferred manner of-c arrying out the same, and will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Further objects and advantages-ofthe invention will more fully appear from the .85 following description taken in connection; with the accompanying-drawings forming a part of this specification and which illust-ratefby way of example two flannel-like patterns or effects that may be produced on cotton fabric according to this invention.

Fig. 1 illustrates a printed cotton fabric having a flannel-like effect, produced according to the present invention; and

Fig. 2 illustrates either a printed cotton fabric with a different flannel effect produced according to this invention, or it may illustrate the back ofthe fabric the front of which is illustrated by Fig. 1.

It will be observed from these figures that the soft stippled ground tone is produced by the printing of dots l to give the desired effect, and that the serge-like effect is produced by the fine uncolored or sparsely colored diagonal lines 2, and the streaks or streak zones by denser massing of the color as shown at 3. 7

According to the preferred manner of pro ducing'flannel-like effects such by way of example as those above described and illus,

the surface of the flannel after the print 70 i bleached so as to have a grey tone as distrated, Intake grey cotton fabric, i. e., cotton fabric that is unbleached or only partly grouped to give the desired stippled efiect,

such dots being grouped in between a series of fine diagonal raised portions ofthe roller which are free or substantially free of the indentations which print the dots, so that When the printing is done the uncolored or sparsely colored'efine lines appear as fine parallel diagonal l nes across "the fabrlc as shown in the drawings.

If it is desired to produce the streaks or treaky z nes as Shown at 3 in Fig, 1, these Q may also be formed [On the same 1011. 1 by more closely 'massing the indentations in he. ro ler which ca y the col r for pr dating th se treak r Stre ky one If t i desilfsd to have. he str aks o cl er nt color from the stippled ground, or if it is es red to ha e he stiun d around o st ng o re e of clots d fere t but blending colors then, v it will be necessary o P v d a second rol r or th e ond.

color, as is Well understood in printing op ation but it. i mere if i u tai the desired effect with-the two colors, and a one color or one printing operation gives highly satisfactory effects. g

If it is desired to have a linear overprint effect such as bold stripes or a'checkered effect as it usual in some French flannels,

these are usually of different color from the, ground, and in that case-a second roller will be prov ded and a second printing'operation.

Fabrics produced according tot-his process can be made to very closely simulate French flannels such as those used for shirtings, and

' to the wearer in arm Weather.

\Vhile I have illustrated by Way of example two particular types or patterns of fabric simulating French flannel, I do'not ish to be understood as limiting the method to the production of these particular types, or otherwise than indicatedin the appended claims, in which I aim to cover any modifications of the invention Within the Spirit and scope f the Sa lie. v

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is:- o

' 1. Method of treating cotton fabric to re seinble in appearance French flannel of the character used for shirtings having threads of contrasting color Woven therein, which comprises taking grey cotton fabric, print ing' thereon to represent said colored nc ne d somewhat .roughening the surface of the cotton fabric to' give a soft finish thereto to enhance the flannellike characteristic of thefabric.

et od f fi is ng nd prin ing co ton, fabric to represent French flannelofthe character used for shirtings having threads of contrasting color Woven therein -Which comprises taking a grey cotton fabric, printing a pattern thereon to represent said colored French flannel, including a 'stipple effect ground'tone, and somewhat roughening the surface of the fabric to give asoft, finish thereto to enhance the flannel l ike characteristic of the fabric. v

In te t mony whereof I have signed my name to this speclfication,

1 WILLIAM J BAXTER, 

